Beers for Burgers
His guests are still drinking, and the smoke from his meat fire rises, on this windless evening, straight up into the trees.
– John Cheever, “O Youth and Beauty!”
Are you filling your grill? Tis the season
For hanging outdoors under trees on
A warm, sunny day
With a brewski array
and a comfortable lawn chair to ease in.
1.
Keep a cold Daisy Cutter nearby,
For this hop-head can well certify
That it’s piney, but light
On the tongue: a delight-
ful Pale Ale with a citrusy vibe.
2.
For your cookout, this Shackmeister Ale
Is refreshingly balanced and pale.
It’s a crushable beer
That is amber and clear:
Pair with burgers, potatoes, and kale.
3.
Here’s a berry concoction for you
To imbibe at your next barbecue.
The Flamingo Dreams pours
Purple-pink, so adore
Tastes of raspberry-currant in brew.
Tasting Notes:
Daisy Cutter Pale Ale. Half Acre Beer Co., Chicago, IL, 5.2% ABV.
This well-hopped pale pours dark amber with a white, fine-bubbled head that hugs your glass with light lace. Its aroma evokes a West Coast IPA, but the thinner mouthfeel glides down your tongue (and the lower ABV won’t get you lit). With its piney and citrusy notes, this hop-forward beer is pitch-perfect on a Summer afternoon.
Shackmeister Ale. Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY. 4.8% ABV.
This beer pours medium amber with a lively, off-white head, and has a crushable mouthfeel that pairs well with cookouts. Hitting the center of the pale ale spectrum, its hops and malt backbone play well together, finishing with some fizz and citrusy notes. The “brewed for burgers” slogan is spot-on.
Flamingo Dreams Nitro Berry Blonde Ale. Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO. 4.7% ABV.
This translucent, purplish-pink brew has lilac-pink head that lightly foams your glass as you sip its tangy-sweet flavor. It’s refreshing, but don’t quaff so you’ll appreciate the rich berry profile with raspberry and blackcurrant. A beer drinker’s Cape Codder, with a fuller mouthfeel and lower ABV.
Marsha Bryant writes about literature, culture, and craft beer. Her recent essays appear in The Poetry of Bob Dylan, Creativity in the Classroom, and The Bloomsbury Handbook to Sylvia Plath. Marsha taught for many years at the University of Florida. Her Untappd handle is LimerickLady.
